Recommended Childhood Immunization Schedule --- United States, 2001

Each year, CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) reviews
the
recommended childhood immunization schedule to ensure that it remains current
with changes in manufacturers' vaccine formulations, revisions in recommendations for
the use of licensed vaccines, and recommendations for newly licensed vaccines. This
report presents the recommended childhood immunization schedule for 2001 (Figure 1)
and documents the changes that have occurred since the January 2000 publication
(4).

For 2001, ACIP, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the American
Academy of Pediatrics have added pneumococcal conjugate vaccine to the schedule
(2) and have extended the recommendation for the use of hepatitis A vaccine to include
persons through age 18 years in selected geographic areas and in certain high-risk groups
(3). Detailed recommendations for using vaccines are available from the
manufacturers' package inserts, ACIP statements on specific vaccines, and the 2000 Red Book
(5). ACIP statements for each recommended childhood vaccine can be viewed, downloaded,
and printed from CDC's National Immunization Program World-Wide Web site, http://www.cdc.gov/nip/publications/ACIP-list.htm.

Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine

In February 2000, the Food and Drug Administration licensed a heptavalent
pneumococcal polysaccharide-protein conjugate vaccine (PCV) (Prevnar,* Wyeth Lederle
Vaccines and Pediatrics, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) for use among infants and young
children. All children aged 2--23 months should receive four doses of PCV intramuscularly
at ages 2, 4, 6, and 12--15 months. ACIP also recommends the vaccine for children aged
24--59 months who are at increased risk for pneumococcal disease (e.g., children with
sickle cell hemoglobinopathies, human immunodeficiency virus infection, and
other immunocompromising or chronic medical conditions). For these children, ACIP
recommends two doses of PCV administered 2 months apart followed by one dose of a
23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV 23) administered two or more
months after the second dose of PCV. ACIP also recommends that PCV be considered for all
other children aged 24--59 months, with priority given to children aged 24--35 months,
American Indian/Alaska Native and black children, and children who attend child-care
centers. ACIP recommends one dose of PCV for children in these groups. Additional
information on the use of PCV can be found in the ACIP statement
(2).

Hepatitis A Vaccination Recommendation

ACIP continues to recommend hepatitis A vaccine (Hep A) for routine use in
some states and regions. For 2001, the recommendation has been extended to include
adolescents through age 18 years and for persons in certain high-risk groups (i.e.,
persons traveling to countries where hepatitis A is moderately or highly endemic, men who
have sex with men, users of injectable and noninjectable drugs, persons who have
clotting-factor disorders, persons working with nonhuman primates, and persons with
chronic liver disease). The hepatitis A vaccine label is shaded on the 2001 Immunization
Schedule to indicate its use in selected states and regions, and for certain high-risk
groups. Providers can contact their local public health authority for the current
recommendations for hepatitis A vaccination in their community. Additional information on the use of Hep
A can be found in the ACIP statement (3).

Vaccine Information Statements

The National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act requires that all health-care providers
give to parents or patients copies of Vaccine Information Statements before
administering
each dose of the vaccines listed in this schedule. Vaccine Information Statements,
developed by CDC, can be obtained from state health departments and CDC's
World-Wide Web site, http://www.cdc.gov/nip/publications/VIS. Instructions on use of the Vaccine
Information Statements are available at http://www.cdc.gov/nip/publications/VIS/vis-Instructions.pdf.

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